The world's largest sailing cargo ship is green and environmentally friendly

The sailing cargo ship Anemos is crossing the Atlantic.Photo source: British magazine New Scientist

Science and Technology Daily (Reporter Zhang Jiaxin) According to the British "New Scientist" magazine news on August 29, the world's largest sailing cargo ship is conducting its first transatlantic voyage. The cargo ship departed from a French port in early August and is scheduled to deliver 1000 tons of brandy and champagne to New York City by September 3. The carbon footprint of its transportation is only one-tenth that of a standard container ship. Such sustainability measures will help the shipping industry move towards net-zero emissions goals.

French Shipping Company was commissioned to build the 81-meter-long cargo ship, named "Animos". The sail laying of "Nemos" is controlled by an automated system rather than manually, and its rigging system for controlling the sail is inspired by ocean rowing and designed using computer simulation.

Thanks to satellite communications and route planning technology, predictable wind power has become a reliable source of propulsion. The system allows Anemos to transport a ton of cargo over a distance of one kilometer while producing less than 2 grams of carbon emissions. The large container ships on which most of the world relies for cargo transport emit at least 20 grams of carbon per ton of cargo within a kilometer.

When relying mainly on wind power, Anemos can reach speeds of more than 19 kilometers per hour, and will be faster under stronger conditions such as the North Atlantic trade winds. As an alternative propulsion method, the ship uses two diesel engines.

Anemos is the first of eight cargo ships planned by French Shipping Company. These cargo ships can transport 200,000 tons of cargo every year and are expected to reduce carbon emissions by 40,000 tons.